| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: "shrieks of delight." When you are past shrieking, having no human
articulate voice to say you are glad with, you fill the quietude of
their valleys with gunpowder blasts, and rush home, red with
cutaneous eruption of conceit, and voluble with convulsive hiccough
of self-satisfaction. I think nearly the two sorrowfullest
spectacles I have ever seen in humanity, taking the deep inner
significance of them, are the English mobs in the valley of
Chamouni, amusing themselves with firing rusty howitzers; and the
Swiss vintagers of Zurich expressing their Christian thanks for the
gift of the vine, by assembling in knots in the "towers of the
vineyards," and slowly loading and firing horse-pistols from morning
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: TAILOR.
This is true that I say; an I had thee in place where thou
shouldst know it.
GRUMIO.
I am for thee straight; take thou the bill, give me thy
mete-yard, and spare not me.
HORTENSIO.
God-a-mercy, Grumio! Then he shall have no odds.
PETRUCHIO.
Well, sir, in brief, the gown is not for me.
GRUMIO.
The Taming of the Shrew |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: He swallowed the white hastily first, because he disliked
it, and Mrs. Brandeis insisted that he eat it. Then he
would brood a moment over the yolk that lay, unmarred and
complete, like an amber jewel in the center of his plate.
Then he would suddenly plunge his fork into the very heart
of the jewel, and it would flow over his plate, mingling
with the butter, and he would catch it deftly with little
mops of warm, crisp, buttery roll.
Fanny passed the breakfast table just as Theodore plunged
his fork into the egg yolk. She caught her breath sharply,
and closed her eyes. Then she turned and fled to the front
Fanny Herself |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: the other fools, into emigration, he had stayed at home and married
his pretty cousin."
"You are still /sans-culotte/, it seems," said the marquis, laughing.
"Messieurs," said the notary, gravely, "the proof I had arranged for
myself is conclusive. This proof, together with the title-deeds and
documents Monsieur le marquis has shown to me, and which he deposits
in my hands, together with the certificate of identity sent to me by
Mother Marie-des-Anges, who cannot, under the rules of her Order, come
to my office, are sufficient for the execution of the deeds which I
have here--already prepared. The presence of two witnesses is required
for one of them. Monsieur Bricheteau will, of course, be the witness
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